Lifting a Power Trac

woodlandfarms · May 13, 2007

Well, tinkering around in my free time with a shop idea maybe for this fall. Was looking at auto lifts. Started thinking about lifting the PT (really don't know why but I am sure I would think of something). This all said, I get the feeling that unless the PT is supported at the tires you could really do some damage. Maybe I am wrong on this (most of the lifts are chasis lifts).

Any thoughts?

MossRoad · May 13, 2007

Well, if you lift it what are you going to get at underneath? Everything is above the solid steel bottom and the only thing accessible from undeneath is the one grease zerk on the center nut.

I would think that if you put the lifts points right under where the wheel motor mounts meet the frame, you would be safe. But, again, I can't ever see a reason for lifting the PT that far off the ground. Maybe a floor jack to get the rear corners off the ground to change your tires, but the front can be lifted with the FEL and jack stands placed underneath.

Barryh · May 13, 2007

woodlandfarms said:
Well, tinkering around in my free time with a shop idea maybe for this fall. Was looking at auto lifts. Started thinking about lifting the PT (really don't know why but I am sure I would think of something). This all said, I get the feeling that unless the PT is supported at the tires you could really do some damage. Maybe I am wrong on this (most of the lifts are chasis lifts).

Any thoughts?

Funny.. I was thinking along the same lines the other day. Would be nice to build a platform to drive the PT up on in the garage. Just to get it up high up enough, so I don't have to get down on my knees on the cement floor to change the oil, clean it ect. Would be nice just to lean over to inspect the engine compartment.

I have some extra wooden pallets around here and plywood. I may make a few ramps, and do this. The problem is storage, finding a place to keep the platform once they are binded up together, and then dragging them around from one place to the next. I had also looked into some of the lifts. My other thought would be to use my 16 foot car trailer just drive it up on the side, and then stepping up on something to inspect it just outside the garage. I need a bigger shed

RegL · May 13, 2007

Barryh said:
Funny.. I was thinking along the same lines the other day. Would be nice to build a platform to drive the PT up on in the garage. Just to get it up high up enough, so I don't have to get down on my knees on the cement floor to change the oil, clean it ect. Would be nice just to lean over to inspect the engine compartment.

I have some extra wooden pallets around here and plywood. I may make a few ramps, and do this. The problem is storage, finding a place to keep the platform once they are binded up together, and then dragging them around from one place to the next. I had also looked into some of the lifts. My other thought would be to use my 16 foot car trailer just drive it up on the side, and then stepping up on something to inspect it just outside the garage. I need a bigger shed

Here's one

eBay Motors: Mid-Rise Car LIFT Air Powered 5000Lbs (item 330117169782 end time May-13-07 09:48:20 PDT)

woodlandfarms · May 13, 2007

The reason I brought this up was my concern about torquing the connection between the front and the back.

I guess the tractor uses that area everyday so it must be strong. But would lifting it (2 points holding the rear, lets say at the tires) and two points lifting the front cause damaging stress?

Carl

KentT · May 13, 2007

woodlandfarms said:
The reason I brought this up was my concern about torquing the connection between the front and the back.

I guess the tractor uses that area everyday so it must be strong. But would lifting it (2 points holding the rear, lets say at the tires) and two points lifting the front cause damaging stress?

Carl

I've had mine entirely up on jackstands several times...

I just put a floor jack in the center on each end and jack away. You have to be careful because it will pivot on you (what PT calls oscillate) side to side...

Compared to the stress you're putting on that joint when you have all it will lift in the bucket, lifted as high as it will go, stresses from lifting up the weight of each end of the machine are minimal...

RegL · May 13, 2007

woodlandfarms said:
The reason I brought this up was my concern about torquing the connection between the front and the back.

I guess the tractor uses that area everyday so it must be strong. But would lifting it (2 points holding the rear, lets say at the tires) and two points lifting the front cause damaging stress?

Carl

I don't see where four lifting points would be any more stressful than the tractor sitting on four wheels, as long as those lifting points were near the wheels.

cqaigy2 · May 13, 2007

Barryh said:
Funny.. I was thinking along the same lines the other day. Would be nice to build a platform to drive the PT up on in the garage. Just to get it up high up enough, so I don't have to get down on my knees on the cement floor to change the oil, clean it ect. Would be nice just to lean over to inspect the engine compartment.

I'll have to admit i've thought it would be nice to get things up where i don't have to lean over so far or get on my knees to work on it, but other then changing a tire, i haven't really needed to put PT up in the air. I wonder how tall WLF's 1850 is?

Barryh · May 13, 2007

cqaigy2 said:
I'll have to admit i've thought it would be nice to get things up where i don't have to lean over so far or get on my knees to work on it, but other then changing a tire, i haven't really needed to put PT up in the air. I wonder how tall WLF's 1850 is?

Guess I'm just getting a little lazy in my old age. I may have to rig a platform up one day soon

MossRoad · May 13, 2007

woodlandfarms said:
The reason I brought this up was my concern about torquing the connection between the front and the back.

I guess the tractor uses that area everyday so it must be strong. But would lifting it (2 points holding the rear, lets say at the tires) and two points lifting the front cause damaging stress?

Carl

The unit already sits on the tires and the center joint supports that. The wheel motors are bolted to the brackets that are welded to the body, so the front half of the body and the rear half of the body support all the weight, right? I don't think you could hurt the PT body or center joint by putting jack stands anywhere under the body. It is just that tuff!